Comments on: Friday Five: Wade Hayes

By: luckyoldsun

luckyoldsun — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:49:46 +0000

It’s a bit of a mystery why Hayes’ career tanked after he had such a promising start. Maybe the timing was just a little off. He came on the scene slightly after the post-Travis New Traditional wave of Clint, Garth, Jackson, Tim, Chesnutt, Diffie, Kershaw, Lawrence, et al and the “quota” may have been filled. There was also an issue of song selection. His first album started off strong with the epic title song “Old Enough To Know Better”–but that album and the following ones got bogged down with too many so-so songs written by his producers. And then his label was panned for trying to introduce an album with a single of “Wichita Lineman”, a Glenn Campbell cover.

In any event, Hayes seemed to be cursed. There would be articles in Billboard about him cutting albums–solo ones, or as part of some Brooks-Dunn/Montogmery-Gentry type combo called “McHayes”–and then the albums would never appear and there would be no explanation.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:32:14 +0000

“Old Enough To Know Better” ranks as one of the best country albums I purchased new back in the 1990′s. In my mind its similar to the Randy Travis debut “Storms of Life” in being truly exceptional at the time it was released compared to most contemporary mainstream Nashville competing “product” available.

I hope Wade makes a full recovery and starts cranking out more high quality music like his early efforts. Not that AirHead Country Radio would notice…

By: Occasional Hope

Occasional Hope — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:11:38 +0000

I love ‘The Day She Left Tulsa’.

By: luckyoldsun

luckyoldsun — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:22:16 +0000

“From 1994 to 1998, few artists were as popular on the charts as Hayes. He charted 11 hits and six of those were top tens.”

Hey, I like Wade Hayes, but why misstate the recent past. Lots of artists were more popular on the charts from 1994-98. Beginning as early as ’96, Hayes’ singles tanked, with a couple of modest exceptions.
He probably sounded too gruff and too country for what country radio was playing at the time.

By: bob

bob — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:52:08 +0000

In addition to your #’s 1 and 3, my favorite Wade Hayes songs include “I’m Still Dancing with You”, “On a Good Night”, “Up North (Down South, Back East, Out West) and “Steady As She Goes”. The last was written by Don Cook and Brooks & Dunn. Don’t know if B&D ever recorded it.

Wade was one of the artists featured in Bruce Feiler’s book, “Dreaming Out Loud”, along with Garth & Wynonna.

As you said, well wishes for a full and speedy recovery.